A Curious Bond
by miekhead
Summary: Set hours after Leena's death. Mrs. Frederic explains the bond between Caretaker and Innkeeper, bringing her on an impromptu training mission.


A/N okay so I've been suffering quite a bit with the reveal in last week's ep and I needed to write this to get by. I think it worked. Tell me what you think!

oxoxoxoxo

A few minutes have passed and Claudia is refusing to leave. Myka seems pretty reluctant too. Pete's the one who drags them away to continue their mission in finding Artie. Their search is redundant and an emergency meeting is called back at the scene of the murder. Murder… that very word is so very difficult for them to digest. The car journey is silent, each agent attempting to hold back the tears they haven't even had the chance to let fall. Steve and Mrs. Frederic meet them at the Bronze section and Steve has his back turned, unable to look at the body. Claudia boldly walks over to the figure slumped peacefully on the floor. The tears on Leena's face have dried and her body is stiff. Claudia reaches out and brushes a lock of curled hair away from the innkeeper's face. "She looks like she's sleeping," she whispers, and as Myka's hand touches her shoulder, she lets one single tear fall. Leena wouldn't want her to cry. She'd want to wrap her in a blanket and make her cookies or do anything in the world to stop Claudia from crying. So the young agent bites her lip and closes her eyes, tracing her finger around the innkeeper's cold face.

Mrs. Frederic watches the scene from a few yards away and breaks the eerie silence. "Pete, I need you to bring Leena back to the B&B."

Pete rubs at his face with his sleeve and nods, his lip quivering. He approaches Claudia cautiously and bends down, pressing his hand to hers. "I'mma look after her, okay?"

Claudia's eyes close again and her face is contorted in disapproval but she moves her hand away anyway and lets her friend lift the body into his arms.

He's lucky she's not that heavy and manages to safely bring Leena out of the Warehouse and rest her in the back of the SUV. At least her eyes are closed now. He takes a breath and makes the journey back home.

Myka watches Claudia carefully. The redhead is still sat on the stone floor, looking at the pool of blood with hooded eyes. Her face shows no emotion and Myka finally sits next to her and puts her arm around her waist, her chin resting on the other agent's shoulder. Steve is at her other side, taking Claudia's hand in his.

Mrs. Frederic uncharacteristically bends down in front of them and places her hand on Claudia's knee. "I think we ought to be getting to the B&B, Claudia."

"I don't wanna go back there." Claudia shakes her head with finality.

"I know," Mrs. Frederic concedes. "But we need to have a plan, find out Artie's endgame, and you can be closer to Leena."

One sniffle and suddenly Claudia's standing, cracking her knuckles. Part of her prays that this wasn't Artie, but she knows it's no use. She's noticed his weirdness in the last coming months. She's watched his jumpiness and his disorientated gaze. It was him. He put a bullet through Leena's chest. It was him. She storms off and the three of them have a tough time keeping up.

When they arrive at the B&B, they find Pete sitting on the couch, his knee bopping anxiously. "I'm sorry, Peter, that must have been hard." Mrs. Frederic murmurs to the man and he nods, staying silent. "Steve, will you help Pete bring her body upstairs to her bedroom?" She asks as the three silent agents enter the B&B. He tips his head in a nod and pats Pete's shoulder gently to get things moving. There's no use arguing with the woman. The regents are nowhere to be seen, Artie's the reason behind all of this, and Pete would rather lay Leena's body to rest in her own comfy bed then have her lying in the living room for the world to see.

Claudia can't understand why Mrs. F is so fucking calm. Leena is dead. She died. Mrs. F owed Leena something. Claudia doesn't know exactly what it was, but she knows there had been some sort of pact between the two. And Mrs. Frederic did what, exactly? What did she do? Claudia paces angrily around the lobby until she feels a firm hand squeeze her shoulder.

"Ms. Donovan, will you come with me please?" Mrs. Frederic commands gently and soon enough Claudia finds her legs moving on their own accord, following the regal woman up the stairs. She leads the two of them into Leena's room where Leena's form is being placed on the bed. The boys look at each other, then at their younger friend who seems to be shuffling on her feet in the doorway.

"Come on," Mrs. Frederic soothes and places her hands against Claudia's waist, guiding her gently over to the bed. "Sit down, it's okay."

Claudia isn't okay. Her lip quivers but she manages to sit before her knees buckle anyway. Wordlessly, Mrs. Frederic gently lifts Leena's head and pauses for a moment while she stares at her face. Her beautiful girl. She smiles wistfully, remembering the day when Patrick used to bring her over for visits when she was working. This inquisitive little child who kept poking at things and occasionally had tantrums when things weren't 'in the right order.' Now she was gone.

Mrs. Frederic sniffs slightly, and unclasps the woman's pendant, unraveling it from around her neck and holds it up proudly. To Claudia.

"Mrs…Mrs Frederic," Claudia stammers, shaking her head. "I…I can't take that," she scrunches up her face. "Please… Don't make me take that."

"Yes," Mrs. Frederic says gently, "You can. It's okay," she soothes. "She'd want you to have it."

Claudia begins to whimper, whimpers turning into sobs, until she's practically in Mrs. Frederic's arms as the old woman finally clasps the heavy stone pendant around her neck. "Please, no…"

"Shhh," Mrs. Frederic hushes, and rubs her back. "Sit down, Claudia."

Claudia does so, tears now falling rapidly down her face. Mrs. Frederic's lips thin into a sad smile. She looks down at her hands and stares at them; stares at the memories of holding that baby girl in her arms for the first time and being so proud. Gradually she reaches for her own left hand, and hesitantly takes off her wedding ring. She holds it up to Claudia's chest and the necklace and nods, then slides it onto Leena's finger. "The Warehouse has been in my family for many generations, Claudia." Claudia stays quiet, confusion stopping the feeling of grief for a little while. "My father was an agent in Warehouse 12, did you know that?" She doesn't even wait for the shaking head. "He was appointed shortly after Wolcott's death." Mrs. Frederic chuckles suddenly. "You know, I don't even think Helena has made the connection. She certainly wasn't in the right frame of mind back then." She turns to look at the necklace and points. "That was my mother's." She says quietly. "Leena's great grandmother. The ring? My father's." Mrs. Frederic grins warmly. "Some artifacts love each other just as their owners did."

That makes Claudia sit up. "Great grandmother? B-but that would mean that—"

"David, the man we visited in Minneapolis, yes. He's Leena's brother. Leena is my son's daughter." She gives the same proud smile she wore in the nursing home, only this time her expression is marred with guilt and sadness.

"Leena Frederic?" Claudia doesn't think her eyes can widen anymore. Her eyes sting from crying, but she can't help being expressive at this revelation.

"Leena Frederic-Scott." Mrs. Frederic sits down on the opposite side of the bed and reaches out to stroke her grandchild's motionless cheek. "Claudia? Hold her hand."

Claudia begins to cry again. "Why?"

Mrs. Frederic sighs impatiently. "Hold her hand please, Claudia."

A shaky hand reaches out and clasps Leena's fingers. She knows Leena is supposed to be cold but right now, her hand feels like it's burning and as soon as she's ready to pull away, Mrs. Frederic holds up a finger. "Do NOT let go of her hand." She says forcefully.

Claudia is too scared to let go and she nods frantically. The pounding of her heart beating in her ear is making her woozy and she forces herself to pay attention.

Mrs. Frederic seems to be taking careful breaths and holds the footboard tightly. "Good," she smiles unconvincingly. "Put your hand on her chest. Where the bullet hit."

Claudia sobs out but does as she says and she feels as if she's experiencing every emotion under the sun.

"Tell me what you're feeling." Mrs. Frederic encourages.

"I…I feel frightened." Claudia gasps.

"Good, what else?"

"Betrayed. Sad," she sniffles. "I feel sad. I… I feel like I want to help."

Mrs. Frederic closes her eyes. "Help who, Claudia? Who do you want to help?"

"Artie," the name comes as a tortured whisper and Claudia lets out a wail of pain.

Mrs. Frederic is still there, guiding her along. Or at least Claudia thinks she is… things are starting to get a little fuzzy. Mrs. Frederic watches the connection. She sees things changing and finally feels a little more confident. "Did you listen to me? Did you leave the Warehouse?"

"No," Claudia gasps out. She only semi-consciously realizes it isn't her speaking, but the words yet fall from her mouth. "I wanted to help him." She cries. "He was lost."

"Do you want to come back?" Mrs. Frederic is willing the tears back and swallows heavily, still gripping the foot of the bed for dear life. "You're listening to me, aren't you? You must want to come back." She gasps as a wave of lethargy overwhelms her and hears nothing. She tries again. "Do you want to come back?"

"Yes, please," comes the small murmur from Claudia's mouth. "I'm sorry." She sobs. "I'm sorry, I want to come back." The words are so desperate, so full of remorse as if Leena is blaming this all on herself that Mrs. Frederic bows her head.

Silence.

"Claudia?" Mrs. Frederic says suddenly. "Open your hand."

Claudia is in there somewhere, but she's choosing not to listen, so Mrs. Frederic takes a stumbling step forward. "Claudia, I said open your hand!" She bellows, and the young agent jumps suddenly out of her trance. She looks around briefly, then opens her palm and convulses in shock. There, in the middle of said palm is a bullet, covered in blood.

"I…" Claudia blinks and her mouth drops open. "Did I do that?" She asks timidly. She's completely confused. Leena's head is still caked in dry blood, and she moves the innkeeper's blouse away to check the wound. It's gone. But Leena's body is still perfectly still… that is, until her chest begins to rise and fall gently and a spluttering noise comes from her throat. Leena's throat. That means Leena's alive.

Claudia jumps from the bed as her hand is squeezed and Mrs. Frederic can't help but smile through her heavy breathing. "She's yours now." With her mouth dangling open wide, Claudia's face is a picture of pure joy as she clenches the hand in hers and sits back down in shock.

Claudia's eyes fill with tears as she cups behind Leena's head and holds her up gently. "Mine?" She whimpers after Mrs. Frederic's words sink in. "What do you mean, she's mine?"

For once in her life, Claudia watches as Mrs. Frederic brushes tears from her cheeks. She drags herself up from the footboard and sits heavily on the mattress. "The bond between the current Caretaker and Innkeeper has been broken." She smiles. "I no longer owe her my life, as she now owes you hers." Claudia swears Mrs. Frederic just got grayer. "Thank you, Claudia," the caretaker says modestly. "Without your help I, nor the B&B would have ever had the strength to revive her." She smiles again instantly as Leena suddenly curls up and snuggles closer to Claudia, obviously deep in slumber as her body rests from its ordeal. "The Warehouse isn't the only building that lives." she reveals. "It's why I needed Pete to bring her back home. It wanted her back." Mrs. Frederic's smile is comforting. "I think we all did. You especially."

They are quiet for a while, listening eagerly to Leena's wheezing but steady breaths. "After Artie activated the astrolabe, I'm afraid I've been aging rather rapidly. And now she's back. If it weren't for you," Mrs. Frederic says pensively, "I would have died trying." Getting up on unsteady feet, she bends to press a kiss to both Claudia and Leena's foreheads. "I'm just glad I get to see her a little longer." She makes her way to the door and pauses, turning around and watching admirably as Claudia cautiously rocks Leena in her arms, pressing kisses to the top of head despite the metallic scent of blood still lingering. "I'll make arrangements with Vanessa to finish the transfer. Take care of my granddaughter, Claudia. And take care of yourself." And with that, the centenarian leaves the room with as much pride as she can manage and proceeds to 'rally the troops' albeit rather weakly.

Leena is safe, Claudia is safe. Now it's time to find Artie, stop him from hurting himself and anybody else, and make sure he's safe too.

The End.


End file.
